Ukraine plans to launch a freight train service to Iran to boost bilateral agricultural trade, said the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry on Thursday.

A test run traversing Georgia and Azerbaijan is scheduled for this summer, the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

"Ukraine must develop new international transport corridors to become a reliable transit bridge between the countries of Europe and Asia," Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan was quoted as saying.

In 2016, agricultural trade turnover between Ukraine and Iran stood at $806.8 million and the aim is to increase it to $1 billion within the next three years.

At present, Ukraine primarily sells grain to Iran, and it is expected to boost the export of flour, vegetable oils and milk products, among others.

This year, Ukraine also intends to launch a freight train service to China using the rail-sea trans-Caspian International Transport Route through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.